1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a corona discharge device for performing corona discharge using a corona electrode provided with multiple sharpened tip portions in a row, and an electrophotographic image formation apparatus including the corona discharge device, such as a copier, a multifunction printer, or a printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corona discharge type corona discharge devices to be used in an electrophotographic image formation apparatus include one which performs corona discharge from a corona electrode provided with multiple sharpened tip portions (for example, serrated tip portions) in a row.
In such a corona discharge device, a deposition, such as a discharge product or toner, deposits on tip portions of a corona electrode as discharge time lengthens. This results in a decrease in discharge performance (for example, charging performance).
As an example of a configuration which cleans tip portions of a corona electrode, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-118308 discloses a configuration which cleans tip portions of a corona electrode with two cleaning members provided on two sides of the corona electrode.
The configuration disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-118308, however, uses the two cleaning members and is complicated.
In this respect, use of a cleaning member which cleans tip portions of a corona electrode while reciprocating along a longitudinal direction of the corona electrode with the tip portions biting into the cleaning member is conceivable. In this case, the use of the single cleaning member leads to a simple configuration. However, since a cleaning position at a surface of the cleaning member is the same in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the corona electrode for when the cleaning member moves toward one side in a movement direction and when the cleaning member moves toward the other side in the movement direction, the cleaning performance of the cleaning member for the corona electrode deteriorates in a short period of time.
It is desirable to provide a corona discharge device including a corona electrode provided with multiple sharpened tip portions in a row, the corona discharge device being capable of maintaining the cleaning performance of a cleaning member for the corona electrode for a long period of time with a simple configuration, and an image formation apparatus including the corona discharge device.